Dried noodles such as somen noodles and hiyamugi noodles, which are traditionally eaten in Japan, are on sale bound by paper bands. Such dried noodles have coarse surfaces as compared to spaghetti and thus have a large friction resistance among noodles. Generally, when a binding tape with poor elasticity such as paper is used, the tension at the time of binding gives no stretch to the binding tape. This results in no shrinkage of the binding tape at the end of the binding, and thus, the spaces between the noodles do not get smaller. In the case of dried noodles with coarse surfaces such as somen noodles and hiyamugi noodles, friction resistance allows for maintaining the state of being bound even without shrinkage of the binding tape. Meanwhile, since spaghetti have smooth surfaces and thus have a small friction resistance among noodles, there are cases where the state of being bound may not be maintained among spaghetti when a binding tape with poor elasticity is used.
For this reason, there are binding devices dedicated for binding spaghetti by wrapping an elastic binding tape around the spaghetti (see, for example, Patent Literature 1). The bond (tightness) of bound spaghetti which have been bound by such a binding device is determined by how the tension has been applied to the binding tape in a tension regulation mechanism of the binding device. Tension regulation mechanisms of conventional binding devices include a dancer roll and a weight disposed on the opposite side to the dancer roll for a fulcrum. Adjusting the position of the weight allows for regulation of the tension applied to the binding tape during the act of wrapping. Here, the elasticity of the binding tape is utilized for binding bound spaghetti. Binding is carried out while a tension within a certain range is applied to the binding tape to make the binding tape stretch, and when the binding tape returns to its original state at the end of the binding, a firm bond is obtained after shrinkage of the binding tape.
Referring to FIG. 9, a conventional binding device will be described in detail below with an example of a spaghetti binding device. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing a structure from a binding tape supply unit to a binding unit in a conventional spaghetti binding device 100. A binding tape 10 is disposed between a feed roller (drive) 160 and a feed roller (slip stopper) 162, supplied from a binding tape reel 152 according to the motion of the feed roller (drive) 160, redirected as appropriate by guide rolls (112a, 121b) via a running block 116, and fed to a binding unit 21. The motion of the feed roller (drive) 160 is controlled to repeat an operation and a halt for each binding, and especially when a tension is required, to come to a halt.
The running block 116 is supported by a lever 156 having a fulcrum 154. A weight 158, the position of which may be freely set, is disposed on the opposite side of the fulcrum 154 when seen from the running block 116. The lever 156 is provided so as to be smoothly movable, and is capable of moving freely as shown by an arrow b. A relationship between the running block 116 and the weight 158 is balanced so that the lever 156 usually tilts to the side of the running block 116. The magnitude of a force that acts downward on the running block 116 can be determined by moving the weight 158 in the direction shown by an arrow a. By relocating the weight 158 in the direction away from the fulcrum 154, an adjustment to decrease the force acting downward on the running block 116 can be performed.
In a case where the conventional spaghetti binding device 100 is used, when an operator determines that the tension of the binding tape 10 is insufficient (in excess), the operator is required to halt the spaghetti binding device 100, relocate the weight in the direction closer to (away from) the fulcrum 154, fix the weight thereat, and restart the spaghetti binding device 100.